INTRODUCTION TO APOLOGETICS PH 6910 - Spring 2015 Online - Dr. Michael W. McDill mmcdill@mabtsne.edu - ph. 518-355-4000 x19 Course Description: The study of crucial issues in the defense of the Christian faith. Course Objectives: Upon the completion of this course, the student will have demonstrated in forum discussions, examinations, and papers: 1. An understanding of the biblical material that relates to apologetics. 2. A familiarity with the various approaches to apologetics and their theological and philosophical bases. 3. An appreciation for the relationship between faith and reason and an ability to formulate an approach to this relationship that will serve in ministry. 4. Knowledge of some of the key figures in the field of apologetics, both from the history of the church and from the present. 5. An ability to struggle with a defense of some of the major theological positions of Christianity and some of the major difficulties to the faith raised by those who object to Christianity. 6. An understanding of the crucial nature of the claim to exclusivity made by Christianity and some of the ways in which that claim can be defended. Textbooks: Geisler, Norman L. and Ronald M. Brooks. When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences. Baker, 2013. Review Books: Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. HarperSanFrancisco, 2001. Zacharias, Ravi. Can Man Live Without God. Thomas Nelson, 2004. Assignments (with percentage of grade): $ Weekly quizzes over readings in Geisler, When Skeptics Ask. These will be taken online. Quizzes consist of 10 true-false questions over the assigned reading for the week. Each incorrect answer will deduct 5 points from the quiz grade. (20%)
$Mid-term essay (3-6 pages) over two questions pertaining to class lectures and discussions in the first part of the term. The exam will be open-book (using your textbook and notes from class, not the internet or other outside sources). (20%) $ Final exam. The method for this exam will be to give essay questions which will be opportunities for the student to display his knowledge and analysis of class lectures and discussion. The exam will be open-book (using your textbook and notes from class, not the internet or other outside sources). (20%) $ Writing assignments (choose one option 40% of final grade): Option 1: Two Book Reviews one of Zacharias, Can Man Live Without God and the other of Lewis, Mere Christianity (5-7 pages each). Reviews should: 1) summarize the material succinctly, 2) include analysis of the ideas and themes of the book, and 3) assess the book s strengths and weaknesses, and 4) comment on the value of the book. Option 2: Research paper (12-15 pages) over topic chosen by student (with professor s approval) using Turabian form. A minimum of 10 resources should be used and reflected in the bibliography with at least 2 being journal articles. Please have a topic to me by the fourth week of class and a preliminary bibliography by the seventh week. Note: please do not submit a paper from a previous course! General writing instructions (for book reviews or research paper): The papers will be graded according to form (Turabian), style (can professor understand your writing and are your thoughts clear and concise), content (have you fully read and comprehended the concepts in the book [or your topic if research paper]), and analysis (have you written clearly your own critical view of the book s [or topic s] content and value). Plagiarism will not be tolerated! In writing a paper, when you use someone else s words or thoughts and do not attribute them to the original author, you are essentially claiming that these words or thoughts are your own. This is plagiarism. Therefore, always cite quotations and any other specific information or ideas from other authors. General biographical or English dictionary information is considered common knowledge and need not be cited. Class Procedures and Participation: All writing assignments (excluding exam essays) should conform to Turabian, 8 th Edition. Students should utilize the MABTS Turabian Tutor for quick access to key issues concerning style and format. Written work, including exam essays (which are not subject to Turabian), may be submitted to the instructor electronically via email. Attendance: Attendance is required for online classes just as for regular classes. Attendance will be determined by students accessing online materials, participating in forums and submitting assignments. Students have a maximum of nine absences during the course term.
Proctors: Proctoring of exams is required. The mid-term and final examinations must be proctored. The proctor may not be a family member or fellow student. The exams in this course are open-book exams (using your textbooks and notes from class, not the internet or other outside sources). Exams will be posted on the class website. Please have completed exams (indicating your compliance with the above instructions concerning open-book exams) sent to the professor via email by your proctors. Notify the professor early in the semester as to the name and email of the proctor. Class Forums: Mandatory participation in the class online discussion, responding to the professor s lessons, instructions, and questions posted in the online class schedule each week. This will give opportunity for interaction with professor and other classmates on the subject material for the course. The student will be expected to have completed that week s reading requirement and demonstrate knowledge of its contents through his posted comments. A missed forum will be counted as an absence. Practical Missions: Students are required to participate in practical missions while taking online courses. Students are also required to participate in Report Hour. A virtual Report Hour is posted online in each week s assignment block. Even if students participate in the regular report hour on campus, they must also use the virtual report hour forum each week. If no witness has occurred, the student will log in and report present. Contacting Professor: Please email the professor with any questions or concerns. If you need to call and cannot reach Dr. McDill please leave a message and the professor will call back or respond via email. Late Work: Assignments which are turned in late will incur a deduction of two points for each day late. The student is responsible for contacting the professor regarding assignments which will be late, otherwise the professor will assume the student does not plan to submit those assignments. Disclaimer: The professor reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the information provided in this syllabus during the term. Grading Scale: Grade point averages are determined on a 12-point grading system. The grade point value of each letter grade is: A 97-100 4.0 quality points per semester hour A- 95-96 3.8 quality points per semester hour B+ 93-94 3.5 quality points per semester hour B 90-92 3.0 quality points per semester hour B- 87-89 2.7 quality points per semester hour C+ 84-86 2.3 quality points per semester hour C 81-83 2.0 quality points per semester hour C- 77-80 1.7 quality points per semester hour D+ 75-76 1.3 quality points per semester hour D 72-74 1.0 quality points per semester hour D- 70-71 0.7 quality points per semester hour F 69 and below 0.0 quality points per semester hour
Schedule: (The daily class schedule is approximate and may be adjusted as the semester progresses. The dates in the schedule below follow the on campus class but represent the whole week for online classes. Online students have Monday through Sunday to complete the week s work.) Week Reading Lectures 1) Jan. 20-22 Course Introduction Syllabus 2) Jan 27-29 Geisler, Ch. 1 Apologetics intro. 3) Feb. 3-5 Geisler, Ch. 2 Existence of God 4) Feb. 10-12 Geisler, Ch. 3 Paper Topic due Worldviews 5) Feb. 17-19 Geisler, Ch. 4 Problem of Evil 6) Feb. 24-26 Geisler, Ch. 5 Miracles 7) March 3-5 Geisler, Ch. 6 Bibliography Due Jesus Christ/Resurrection March 10-12 March 17-19 Spring Break Spring Break 8) March 24-26 Geisler, Ch. 7 Mid-Term Exam due Bible: Reliability 9) March 31-April 3 Geisler, Ch. 8 Bible Difficulties 10) April 7-9 Geisler, Ch. 9 Archeology 11) April 14-16 Geisler, Ch. 10 Science And Evolution 12) April 21-23 Science And Evolution 13) April 28-30 Geisler, Ch. 11 The Afterlife 14) May 5-7 Geisler, Ch. 12 Truth 15) May 12-14 Geisler, Ch. 13 Ethics/Morality May 19-20 Exam Week Final Exam due Book Reviews or Research Paper due
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Diogenes. Philosophy for Understanding Theology. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1985.. Christian Belief in a Postmodern World: The Full Wealth of Conviction. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989. Archer, Gleason L. New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Baggett, David and Gary R. Habermas and Jerry L. Walls, eds. C. S. Lewis as Philosopher: Truth, Goodness and Beauty. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2008. Balfour, Arthur J. Theism and Humanism. Brown, Mantague. Restoration of Reason: The Eclipse and Recovery of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006. Bates, Gary. Alien Intrustion: UFOs and the Evolution Connection. Creation Book Publishers, 2010 Behe, Michael J. The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism. New York: Free Press, 2007. Beckwith, Francis J. and William Lane Craig and J. P. Moreland, eds. To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2004. Budziszewski, J. The Revenge of Conscience: Politics and the Fall of Man. Wipf & Stock, 2010. What We Can t Not Know: A Guide. Ignatius Press, 2011 Bush, L. Russ. A Handbook for Christian Philosophy. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991., ed. Classical Readings in Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Academie Books, 1983.. The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age. Nashville: Broadman & Holman: 2003 Campbell, Heidi A. and Heather Looy, eds. A Science and Religion Primer. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2009. Carnell, E. J. The Case for Biblical Christianity. Clark, David K. and Norman L. Geisler. Apologetics in the New Age: A Christian Critique of Pantheism. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990.
Colson, Charles and Anne Morse. Burden of Truth: Defending Truth in an Age of Unbelief. Craig, William Lane. Hard Questions, Real Answers. Dockery, David S, ed. The Challenge of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement. 2 nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001. Geisler, Norman L. Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996. Geisler, Norman L. and Frank Turek. I Don t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. Wheaton: Crossway, 2004. Geisler, Norman L. and Ronald M. Brooks. When Skeptics Ask: A Handbook on Christian Evidences. Baker, 2013. Geisler, Norman L. and William D. Watkins. Worlds Apart: A Handbook on World 2 nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989. Geisler, Norman L. and Ravi Zecharias. Who Made God?: And Answers to Over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003. Goheen, Michael W. and Graig G. Bartholomew. Living at the Crossroads: An Introduction to Christian Worldview. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008. Groothuis, Douglas, Truth Decay: Defending Christianity Against the Challenges of Postmodernism. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2000. Hanna, Mark M. Crucial Questions in Apologetics. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981. Hanegraaff, Hank. Has God Spoken?: Proof of the Bible s Divine Inspiration. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011. Keller, Timothy. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. New York: Riverhead Books, 2008. Knight, Robert H. The Age of Consent: The Rise of Relativism and the Corruption of Popular Culture. Kostenberger, Andreas, ed. Whatever Happened to Truth. Wheaton: Crossway, 2005. Kreeft, Peter and Ronald K. Tacelli. Handbook of Christian Apologetics. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1994. Leithart, Peter J. Solomon Among The Postmoderns. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2008.
Lewis, C. S. The Abolition of Man.. The Great Divorce.. Mere Christianity. HarperSanFrancisco, 2001.. Miracles.. The Problem of Pain.. The Screwtape Letters.. Surprised by Joy.. The Weight of Glory. Lindskoog, Kathryn. C. S. Lewis: Mere Christian. 4 th ed. Chicago: Cornerstone Press, 1997. Markos, Louis. Lewis Agonistes: How C. S. Lewis Can Train Us to Wrestle With The Modern and Postmodern World. Nashville: Broadman Holman, 2003. Martin, Jobe. The Evolution of a Creationist: A Layman s Guide to the Conflict between the Bible and Evolutionary Theory. Exploration Films, 2002. Moser, Paul K, ed. Jesus and Philosophy: New Essays. Cambridge University Press, 2009 Mullins, E. Y. Why Is Christianity True?: Christian Evidences. Nash, Ronald H. Worldviews in Conflict: Choosing Christianity in a World of Ideas. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. Newport, John P. Life s Ultimate Questions: A Contemporary Philosophy of Religion. Dallas: Word, 1989. Nicholl, Armand M. The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life. New York: Free Press, 2002. O Connell, Marvin R. Blaise Pascal: Reasons of the Heart. Olson, Roger E. Questions to All Your Answers: The Journey from Folk Religion to Examined Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007. Pearcy, Nancy. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. Wheaton: Crossway, 2005. Phillips, Gary W. and William E. Brown. Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview.
Piper, John and Wayne Grudem eds. Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism. Crossway, 2012 Ramm, Bernard L. A Christian Appeal to Reason.. Protestant Christian Evidences: A Textbook of the Evidences of the Truthfulness of the Christian Faith for Conservative Protestants.. Varieties of Christian Apologetics: An Introduction to the Christian Philosophy of Religion Reppert, Victor. C. S. Lewis s Dangerous Idea: In Defense of the Argument from Reason. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2003. Rookmaaker, H. R. Modern Art and the Death of a Culture. London: Intervarsity Press, 1971. Schaeffer, Francis A. Death in the City.. Back to Freedom and Dignity.. Escape From Reason. Sell, Alan P. F. Confessing and Commending the Faith: Historic Witness and Apologetic Method. University of Wales Press, 2003 Sire, James. W. Habits of the Mind: Intellectual Life as a Christian Calling. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2000. Sproul, R. C. and John Gerstner and Arthur Lindsley. Classical Apologetics: A Rational Defense of the Christian Faith and a Critique of Presuppositional Apologetics. Strobel, Lee. The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity.. The Case for Easter. Taylor, James E. Introducing Apologetics: Cultivating Christian Commitment. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006. Thiselton, Anthony C. A Concise Encyclopedia of the Philosophy of Religion. Vahanian, Gabriel. The Death of God: The Culture of Our Post-Christian Era. Vaus, Will. Mere Theology: A Guide to the Thought of C. S. Lewis. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2004.
Veith, Gene Edward. Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture. Vitz, Paul C. Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism. Dallas: Spence, 1999. Weikart, Richard. From Darwin to Hitler: Evolutionary Ethics, Eugenics, and Racism in Germany. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004. Zacharias, Ravi. Can Man Live Without God. Thomas Nelson, 2004.. Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message. Thomas Nelson, 2004.